Try, rafter, and miter square.



TRY, RAFTER, AND MITER SQUARE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 30, 1913.

Patented Jan.20,1914.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co.. WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNHE

STATES raaisr orrrc.

GEORGE E. STANWOOD AND \VILLIAM E. SMITH, OF MIDDLETOWN, NEW YORK.

TRY, BAFTER, AND MITER SQUARE.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GEORGE E. STAN- woon and XVILLIAM E. SMITH, citizens of the United States, and residents of Middletown, in the county of Orange and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Try, Rafter, and Miter Square, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to measuring instruments and has particular reference to a tool or implement intended especially for use by carpenters or other artisans in laying out work.

Among the objects of this invention is to improve this class of devices whereby they are made more simple in construction and principle of operation, and hence, whereby they are more durable and reliable in use both as to physical construction and effectiveness in carrying out the scientific prin ciples involved.

A further object of the invention is to provide for a tool of the class indicated an improved form of temporary locking mechanism, the same cooperating with any one of a plurality of series of gage holes.

The foregoing and other objects of the in vention will hereinafter be more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the drawings forming a part of this specification in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views, and in which Figure 1 is a face view of a preferred embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a similar view of the same with the gage plate placed in a different position with respect to the foundation bar; Fig. 3 is rear view of the same with the parts difierently adjusted and showing linear scales on certain parts; Fig. 4 is a vertical section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a detail view in perspective of the principal part of the locking mechanism; and Fig. 6 is a diagram indicating some of the many uses to which the implement may be applied.

The several parts of the device may be made of any suitable materials and the general design thereof may be varied to a certain extent without departing from the spirit of the invention hereinafter more fully set forth and particularly claimed.

As indicated especially in Fig. 1, the imnamely, the relatively stationary guide or Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 30, 1913.

Patented Jan. 29, 1914.

Serial No. 764,633.

foundation bar 10 and the relatively movable index plate 11, these parts being pivoted together for cooperation at 12.

The guide 10 consists preferably of a rectangular bar, of metal of any suitable size or length, and this member constitutes, as its name indicates, the principal guiding portion, or that part which is more frequently applied along the edge of the stick or work being treated.

The plate 11 is movable over or with respect to the guide 10 through substantially 90 degrees or in any are of a circle less than 90 degrees. The plate is formed preferably in the nature of a right angled isosceles triangle, the pivot 12 aforesaid being located at the right angle. The triangle therefore comprises the two sides 13 and 14 adjacent the right angle, and the third side 15 which constitutes the base or hypotenuse of the figure.

Along the side 14 is formed or rigidly connected, in any suitable manner, a flange or bar 16 which may, for convenience of description, be termed the try bar. This try bar is located on the side of the plate opposite the guide 10, and with said plate forms a try square with respect to the side 13, or a true miter square with respect to the side 15, when the plate is laid face downward upon the stick with the try bar against the edge thereof. When the plate 11 is swung around the pivot 12 with respect to the guide 10 to the position indicated in Fig. 2, said guide serves as a bar constituting the implement a try square with respect to the side 14, and as a miter square with respect to the side 15, when the implement is applied to the work face upward.

The guide or bar 10 may be so arranged as to lie opposite the bar 16, and we prefer to form the outer face of said bar 10, as well as the plate 11, with linear scales shown in Fig. 3 at 10 and 11 respectively.

The face of the index plate 11 is provided with any suitable number or arrange ment of scales herein shown as three in number, but each of which isdouble. The scale A comprises two sets of graduations a, and a, each beginning with the numeral 4 and extending laterally in an arc of a circle toward the side of the triangle, the center of the are being the pivot 12. The scale A may be regarded as a miter scale for the sake of distinction. Either of the subscales a or a may be employed for maln'ng miter or other bevel. cuts. lVith the plate 11 adjusted as indicated in Fig. 1 opposite the numeral 4:, the guide bar 10 applied along the edge of the stick, will give a true right miter out along the side 14, or if applied with the opposite edge against the opposite side of the stick, a reverse miter out along the side 13. If the plate is swung so that it will bring the numeral 5 of the sub-scale a opposite the guide, the side 13 will mark the cut for an equi-lateral pentagon or fivesided frame; likewise, if set at 6 of the same scale, the side 13 will mark the out for a regular hexagon, and so on throughout the scale, the numerals on such scale indicating the number of sides of any regular polygon which may be formed. The scale opposite, a, will operate in a similar manner but in a reverse direction, whereby the instrument is adapted for all possible sizes in the manner indicated. It is to be noted, also, that when the device is adjusted as illustrated, in Fig. 1, it is adapted for not only making right and reverse miter cuts, but also as a try or T-square employing the guide 10 with relation to the side 15. It is frequently desirable or convenient to combine these fea tures in an instrument of this character so that a plurality of cuts may be made not only with one adjustment of the instrument, but as a result of a single application of it to the stick being cut.

The scale B may be regarded as a rafter scale and comprises sub-scales Z; and b. Each of said sub-scales begins at the centerof the plate 11 at the numeral 12 and eX- tends thence in an arc of a circle parallel to the aforesaid scale toward the side 13 or 14 of the plate. As applied to common rafters or to the ridge cuts of hip, valley or jack rafters, the numerals on the scales b and 6 indicate the number of inches of rise of rafter per running footalong the plate. By way of illustration the diagram of Fig. 6 may be understood to represent a common rafter R, and assuming that the building specifications call for a roof of which the rafters have a rise of eight inches per running foot, the plate 11 will be adjusted with respect to the guide 10 so that it will be opposite the numeral 8 of the sub-scale Z). The side 13, therefore, when the implement is applied as indicated in full lines, will indicate the plate cut 17 called for. Since the angles formed between the guide 10 and sides 13 and 14 respectively are complemental angles'and the plate cut 17 likewise forms a right angle with the plane of the ridge cut 18, the latter cut will be produced without change of adjustment by simply transferring the implement bodily to the opposite side of the stick R, as shown in dotted lines. The same cuts would be produced by working upon the opposite side of the stick, but with the adjustment made to the corre sponding numeral of the opposite scale 6, which operation might be more convenient for a different individual workman or because of other varying circumstances. It follows therefore that the foot cut 19, being parallel to the ridge cut 18 and also at right angles to the plate cut 17, is produced in any event by the application of the implement as in the production of the ridge out. Likewise in the making of a wall line out in the case of a notched rafter, said wall line will be made as a right angle continuation of the plate cut, and will be formed in the same manner as the ridge and foot cuts and complementa-l to said plate cut.

At C we show a third scale including right and left series of graduations indicated at 0 and 0'. These graduations are of a nature somewhat similar to those of the scale B but are intended to indicate the number of inches of rise per running foot of hip or valley rafters as will be well understood by a mechanic using the implement.

Any suitable means may be employed to temporarily lock the index plate 11 to the guide or foundation bar 10 in any of the positions of relative adjustment of these parts. To this end we provide a locking device including a plate 20 adapted to cooperate with the outer face of the bar 10. Said plate has a longitudinal slot 21 extending from one end thereof toward the other, and at said other end it is provided with a fixed stud 22 projecting inwardly at a right angle thereto. A screw threaded post 23 extends through said slot 21 and is fixed permanently to the bar, and cooperating therewith is a nut 24 adapted to cooperate with the outer face of the plate 20 and secure the locking means in any one of a series of three holes 20 20 and 20 formed through said bar 10 and adapted to register with the corresponding holes of the three scales A, B and C. By the means illustrated, the stud 22 may be temporarily fixed in a stationary position in any one of the three holes mentioned in the bar 10 so as to extend sufficiently far through the bar to cooperate with the gage scales. The plate 11 is made preferably of flexible material, and hence the side thereof opposite the right angle is flexible so that the stud 22 is snapped into any one of the holes of any one of the three series of scale holes, and the locking means is sufficient to maintain the instrument so adjusted for ordinary operations. The stud 22 is changeable from one hole to the other through the bar by loosening the nut 24, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The slot 21 provides for the shifting of the plate 20 so as to permit said stud 22 to be brought into registry with any of said holes, the plate and stud being swung around through an angle of 180 degrees from the position shown in the drawings in order to bring the stud 22 into the hole 20. The center holes of the scales A and B provide true miter cuts when the stud 22 is located therein. We provide also a corresponding hole pertinent to the scale C for the same purpose when the stud 22 is set for use on the scale C. At 22* and 22 we show groups of holes adjacent the edges 13 and 14: for the accommodation of the stud 22 when the bar is adjusted 10 in the corresponding positions, said holes being arranged at the same distances from the axis 12 as the several series of scales A,

B and C. The outer end of the post 23 is preferably upset or otherwise arranged so that the nut 24 cannot be removed therefrom, and hence the locking plate cannot become lost from the device. WVe thus provide a very simple and reliable locking means for cooperation with any of the series 20 of gage scales for the many purposes above referred to.

Having thus described our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters "Patent:

1. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a guide bar, a right angled index plate associated with and movable over said bar, a fixed try bar secured along one edge of the said plate, leading from the right angle and on the side thereof opposite said guide bar, a pivot extending through the end of the guide bar, the right angled portion of the plate and the adjacent end of said try bar, a plurality of right and left double index scales on the face of the index plate having the fixed try bar, and means carried by the try bar and cooperating with the index plate constituting a temporary locking means securing the relatively adjustable parts in any desired position of adjustment with respect to any of said scales;

2. The herein described implement comprising a foundation bar, an index plate substantially in the form of a right angled isosceles triangle, a pivot pin passing through said bar and plate adjacent the right angle, the side of the plate opposite said angle being flexible and provided with a plurality of index holes, and locking mechanism carried permanently by said bar and including a stud adapted to snap into or out of any one of said plate holes due to the flexibility of the plate, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. In a device of the class set forth, the combination of a foundation bar, a gage plate pivoted to one end of the bar and provided with a plurality of index scales arranged in arcs of circles of which the pivot aforesaid is the center, said bar being provided with a plurality of holes extending therethrough, and adapted to register with the corresponding holes of said plate, and a locking device carried by said bar and including a stud adapted to extend through any one of the bar holes and into c06peration with the corresponding series of index holes.

4. In a device of the character set forth, the combination of a foundation bar, a gage plate, a guide bar secured to said plate along one edge thereof, a pivot pin passing through said plate and both of said bars securing the plate and foundation bar pivotally together, said gage plate being provided with a plurality of series of index scales for various purposes, and means carried by the foundation bar and serving to temporarily lock the gage plate and foundation bar in definite position with respect to any one of said series, said locking means including a plate having a slot extending longitudinally from one end thereof toward the other end and also having a fixed stud projecting at a right angle therefrom and adapted to extend into said gage plate holes, and means serving to clamp said locking plate in fixed position, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE E. STANWOOD. WILLIAM E. SMITH. lVitnesses F. vV. MEDRIoK, J NO. MoIVILLIAMs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

